Share Sounds

Sometimes cheap stocks are an opportunity, and sometimes stocks are cheap for a reason. Bill Mann discusses Amazon laying off 18,000 employees, whether layoffs are a bad sign or an indication a company is being honest with itself, and the writing on the (bond market) wall for Bed Bath & Beyond. Then, 11 minutes in, Ron Gross provides an overview of value investing, discusses why the current environment favors value stocks, and shares a few ideas for investors seeking to build up the value side of their portfolio. Stocks discussed: AMZN, CRM, MSFT. GOOG, GOOGL, BBBY, TGT, COST, WMT, BBY, CAT, DE, NEE, SO, NUE, VMC. Host- Chris Hill; Guests - Bill Mann, Ron Gross

Salesforce is laying off 10% of its workforce. Is it a sign of things to come in the tech industry? Tim Beyers discusses how Salesforce's recent acquisitions are the reason layoffs shouldn't be surprising, why HubSpot's next move is one of the most interesting things in tech, and one tech business bucking the trend by increasing its hiring. Then, 8 minutes in, Matt Argersinger previews the year for dividend stock investors, discusses why the payout ratio is a key metric to watch, and shares two dividend stocks he believes are looking more attractive these days. Stocks discussed: CRM, HUBS, ASAN, MNDY, SCHD, VIG, MTN, SWK, EXR, LII. Host - Chris Hill; Guests - Tim Beyers, Ron Gross

The New Year has arrived and with it promises of inflation falling and a ray of hope on energy bills. But even if Rishi Sunak halves inflation, as he claims he will, it would still be running at 5% and his promise to get Britain back to growth may prove harder than the simple maths that sees inflation slow. Meanwhile, a slowdown in the rise of the cost of living doesn't mean things will get cheaper and the better energy price forecasts will still see costs at more than double what they were a year ago. So, will 2023 prove better or tougher for our finances? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert delve into the prospects for the year ahead. Plus, what is on the cards for the property market, for pensions and savers and why is Divorce Day tipped to be even bigger this year? And finally, the year is going to better financially for at least one person: the lucky January £1million Premium Bond winner who bagged the jackpot with less than £5,000 saved. Is it time we all stuck more in Premium Bonds, as the prize find is boosted?

Adam Cox is joined by Matthew Roach, travel expert and founder of Bucket List Travels, to discuss new research which reveals the common items on Brit's bucket lists, and why travel is often so high up. He explains the advantages of planning travel in advance, and why he set up his company. https://www.bucketlisttravels.com/

Adam Cox uses random generation to construct this episode, using https://earthroulette.com/ to generate a destination - Albi in the Pyrenees (the image is of Albi Cathedral), a pair of emotions - hatred and joy - and some random words: pioneer, ambition and penny (the English coin, that is!). Then he weaves his web of hypnosis using his 15 minute sand-timer and a liberal helping of 'that's right', the hypnotists' universal amplifier. Enjoy!

Russ Mould of A J Bell tells Simon Rose of the 5 key trends he thinks investors should keep an eye on in 2023. The inverted yield curve in the US could indicate a recession. 2-year government bonds often lead monetary policy; will central banks stay tough? Commodity prices could have further to go if inflation is not conquered. And the semiconductor and transport sectors both serve as excellent leading indicators of economic activity.

James Cameron-Wilson revels in a box office up 185% after a Christmas lull with Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody #2. Although conventional, James loved it for the music and performances from Stanley Tucci and newcomer Naomi Ackie. Netflix never release box office figures but James finally got to see Glass Onion, which has now moved online, finding it preposterous but enormous fun, even if it goes off the rails towards the end.

Share's technology editor Steve Caplin looks at Apple's fall from +$3bn to -$2bn, at ways of setting over-priced NFT purchases off against tax, at AI writing Channel 4's Christmas message and poetry about Share Radio, as well as checking your age in supermarkets. A former drug tsar has come up with synthetic alcohol doing away with drunkenness and hangovers and from the annual CES comes an AI oven, a fruit ripeness checker, a baby translator and printers for temporary tattoos and eyebrows.

Politicial commentator Mike Indian analyses the New Year's addresses of Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer. Will the PM be able to deliver on his 5 pledges? Is Starmer being ambitious enough, channelling the likes not just of Blair, but also Wilson and Callaghan? With the May elections expected to give the Conservatives a massive drubbing, could Boris Johnson yet make a comeback as leader?

Our understanding of science moves forward relentlessly: it feels that we are not far from unwrapping the nysteries of the spiritual dimension. For example, the seemingly impossible basis of communication which is quantum entanglement, illustrated by murmurations, appears to be beyond the limitations of the known laws of physics — could this be the route by which the disciplines of spiritual and scientific endeavour can converge? Meanwhile the established Churches seem locked in tradition as they struggle to present the message of love and servant leadership which Jesus brought. Background music: 'In the Temple Garden' by Aaron Kenny Image source: Geograph © Walter Baxter